Maintains Perfect Rolex Sports Car Series Qualifying Record
Every time Scott Pruett has qualifiedthe No. 01 CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley, he has come away withthe pole position.
That was the case again at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday as heturned in a best lap of 119.881 mph (1:46.906) to take the inside of thefront row for Thursday's Paul Revere 250 presented by Brumos Porsche (SPEEDChannel, July 4, Noon ET). It was Pruett's fourth consecutive Grand AmericanRolex Sports Car Series pole (others were at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Miamiand Mont-Tremblant), and is the fifth time in six 2004 races in which theNo. 01 has taken the top starting spot. Pruett's co-driver Max Papis alsoclaimed the pole at Phoenix in April.
"We got our momentum going," Pruett said. "The car is working good, and theGanassi guys are doing a fabulous job. The Lexus engine isn't missing abeat. All those things together let us focus on the car, trying to get themost out of it. It's going to be a challenge here because we have one moresession from 8 to 9 tonight, but it's going to be significantly differentthan when we go to take the green flag. I'm not sure what to expect, butwe'll have enough adjustability in the car so we can make changes during therace if we need to."
Pruett shares the front row with David Donohue after the second-generationracer gave the No. 58 Red Bull-Brumos Racing Porsche Fabcar its bestqualifying ride of the season with a best lap of 119.131 mph (1:47.579) toearn the second starting position. The No. 58's previous best start wasthird at Mont-Tremblant in May, and Donohue and co-driver Darren Law enterthe Paul Revere 250 still looking for their first win of the season.
"Our practices were horrible, quite frankly," Donohue said. "We reallystruggled for grip, and it wasn't really fun to drive at all. We made somechanges toward the late end of practice. We really made a lot ofimprovements but still, I was surprised we were second in that session. Ifyou told me this afternoon we would be second on the grid, I would'velaughed you out of town. To end up second on the pole, we're delighted."
Pruett's CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Jimmy Morales, made it twoLexus Rileys in the top three starting spots, as the Mexican posted a bestlap of 119.016 mph (1:47.683) in the No. 02 machine to secure the inside ofthe second row. Sylvain Tremblay joins Morales on Row 2 after turning thefourth-quickest qualifying lap at 118.593 mph (1:48.067) in the No. 9 MearsMotorcoach/SpeedSource Pontiac Riley. It was also the No. 9's bestqualifying performance of the season to date.
Oswaldo Negri Jr. filled out the top five in the No. 6 Lexus Doran followinga top lap of 118.259 mph (1:48.372) and will share the third row with NASCARNEXTEL Cup star Tony Stewart, who put the No. 20 CITGO-Howard-BossMotorsports Pontiac Crawford sixth in the field at 118.149 (1:48.473).
"I didn't think that I could pick up that much time, but it shows what theteam's capable of more so than what the driver's capable of," Stewart said."That was my first qualifying session in a sports car, so I'm pretty happywith it. I went probably a second faster than what I thought I would run,and I'm happy with that."
The Paul Revere 250 presented by Brumos Porsche gets underway approximately10 minutes after NASCAR NEXTEL Cup qualifying on Thursday night.
BUCKLER HALTS BMW's GT POLE STREAKWith a best lap at 111.103 mph (1:55.352), owner/driver Kevin Buckler putthe No. 67 The Racer's Group Porsche GT3 RS on the GT pole position for thePaul Revere 250, bringing the No. 21 Prototype Technology Group BMW M3's GTpole streak to an end after four consecutive class poles. For Buckler, anoverall winner in the 2003 Rolex 24 At Daytona, it was his fifth class polein Rolex Series competition.
"Everything was ready when I got here this morning," Buckler said. "The guyswere well prepared, and I was feeling really good. I got a good night sleep.I always like this track, and I always feel pretty good here. We put a realgood setup on the car and that's important because this track is tricky.This track is slippery and it's hot out and tires change a lot throughoutthe session."
Mike Fitzgerald will start second in GT after turning a best lap at 110.808mph (1:55.659) in the No. 44 Orbit Racing Porsche GT3 RS, and Joey Hand putthe No. 21 third on the GT grid at 110.304 (1:56.188).
NONNAMAKER TAKES FIRST-EVER ROLEX SERIES SGS POLEWayne Nonnamaker posted a best lap of 106.567 mph (2:00.282) in the No. 41ORISON-Planet Earth Motorsports Porsche GT3 Cup en route to his first-everSuper Grand Sport (SGS) pole position in Rolex Series competition.
"Anytime you can come to Daytona and sit on the pole position, it's great,"Nonnamaker said. "We're here with NASCAR and it's so exciting. It's a greattrack and I really love it. This is our first pole ever in the Rolex, sowe're very excited. We've had some success in Grand-Am Cup in the past sothings are coming together."
Nonnamaker topped SGS co-points leader Marc Bunting, who qualified the No.38 TPC Racing Porsche GT3 Cup second on the class grid at 115.738 mph(2:01.205). Michael Levitas had a best lap at 105.517 mph (2:-01.459) in theNo. 36 TPC Racing Porsche GT3 Cup and will start third in SGS.
ON TAPThe Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series will host a pair of pressconferences Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET in the Daytona International SpeedwayInfield Media Center. The first press conference will be a sponsorshipannouncement about an upcoming 2004 Rolex Series race while the secondsession will focus on the 2005 GT class specifications and the debut of No.23 Horizon Motorsports Pontiac GTO in Thursday's Paul Revere 250. The No. 23GTO is the first race car in the Rolex Series built to these newspecifications.
